It is known that the efficiency of motor vehicle automatic transmissions is affected by the viscosity of the automatic transmission fluid. It is also known that transmission spin losses and vehicle fuel economy can be improved by heating of the automatic transmission fluid during engine warm-up and when operating in environments of extreme cold.
The prior art has proposed various add-on auxiliary devices for heating the transmission fluid to the desired temperature at which transmission spin losses are minimized and improved fuel economy is obtained.
It would be desirable to provide a new and improved apparatus for economically achieving the heating of the transmission fluid, in particular a device that would package well in the available space, be of economical manufacture, and take advantage of available waste heat emanating from the vehicle engine.